Water-closet



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(Model.)

B. 8: LE G. M. NORTON.

WATER CLOSET.

No. 247,210. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

N. PETERS. Pnmmmba r ber. wuhmgmn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN NORTON AND LE GRAND M. NORTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 247,210, dated September 20, 1881. Application filed April 19, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN NORTON and LE GRAND M. NORTON, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Closets, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in water-closets and the same consists in makin g the water-closet with an absolute cut-oftin its connection with the soil-pipe, so as to effectually exclude sewer-gas, and providing an air compression water reservoir for the purpose of securing a large flush of water in the water-closet bowl, and providing a second tankreservoir or enlargement of the connectingpipe located abovethe opening into the water-.

closet bowl for supplying the after-wash, or water to fill the bowl to a suitable depth after the valves are closed. It also consists in the novel devices and combinations of devices herein shown.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a water closet embodying our invention, the casing and operating-handle being removed. Fig. 2 is a detail side view, showing the operating-handle. Fig. 3 is a front view, showing a modification. Fig. 4 is a section on line 40f Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the pipe leading from the afterwash tank to the bowl. Fig. 6 is a cross section of the water closet valve.

In said drawings, A represents the casing, and B is the water-closet bowl.

In ourimproved water-closet we arrange the air-compression water reservoir O (which we usually make of a capacity of about eight gallons)'under the water-closet bowl and inside the casing in which the bowl is mounted, so as to be out of the way and make a neat compact appearance. Th'ewater-supply pipe at leads from the street directly into this water-reservoir and keeps the water under pressure. The air in the upper part of the reservoir, being elastic and under the same pressure, will, of course, be compressed in bulk.

D is the drain-pipe, which connects the water-closet bowl with the soil-pipe; and b is a pipe leading from the compression-tank G to the after-wash tank E, which is located just above the opening into the water-closet bowl, so that water in this tank will run out into the bowl after the valves are closed. This tank is made large enough to hold just the quantity of water necessary to fill the bowl to a suitable depth, and we usually make its capacity about one and one-half gallon. This tank enlargement or reservoir E we provide with a vent, d, near its top, so as to permit the water to run out of the same into the bowl more freely after thevalves are closed. In practice we prefer to make this tank E an integral part of the water-closet bowl the same being formed as a hollow rim around thc water-closet how], its interior being of about the capacity before stated, and the opening d into the bowl being located at or near its bottom. When thus as the bowl and of the same material. It may,

however, if preferred, be made in the form of a rim surrounding the bowl, but iua separate piece therefrom, in which case the tank may be made of any suitable material. If so made it is necessary to have a short connecting-pipe leading into the opening of the water-closet bowl.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3, 4:, and 5, the after-wash tank E is located above thecompression-reservoir atithe side of the bowl, and aconnecting-pipe, d leads into the opening of the bowl. In this construction the vent, which consists of a small vent-tube, d we lead into the water-closet bowl through the pipe d as shown in Fig. 5. The pipe I) we make larger in diameter than the inlet-pipe a, which is of prdinary size employed for such pipes, the same being usually about one-half inch interior diameter, while for the pipe I) we usually employ an inch and a quarter pipe. By this means with the ordinary water-supply pipe we secure an ample and sudden flush of water when the valves are opened, as the compressed air in the upper part of the compression-tank O forces by its expansion the water out of said tank to the full capacity of the larger pipe b, and quickly fills the after-wash tank.

The drain-pipe D and the pipe b are each provided with a plug-valve or stop-cock, 7c and k, the plugs in each of said valves being secured to a common shaft, K, which is operated by the water-closet lever L, which is provided with a handle, 1., and is pivoted to the frame or casing at n, and its extremity is pivoted to one end of the connecting-bar n, the other end of which is pivoted'to the extremity of the crank n secured to the valve-shaft K. By use of a plug-valve we not only secure an absolute shut off of the connection between the bowl and the drainage system of the house, thus effectually excluding all sewer-gas, but we also thereby secure a valve, which, in connection with the water-closet handle, willremain in any position placed, whether open or closed, thus much better adapting the water-closet for use as a urinal, as the handle may be partially raised and the water allowed to run, as in an ordinary urinal.

The water-closet valve 70 is provided with a ventilating opening or duct, 70 connecting the drain-pipe with a ventilating-pipe, 70 which leads to a hot-air flue, so that any accumulation of gas in the drain pipe or traps below the valve when the same is closed may freely pass otf. It will be noticed that the lever shown for operating the water-closet valve is nearly balanced, so that its own weight has little tendency to turn the plug in either direction. Other devices, however, may, of course, be used for operating the valve.

Some of the advantages of our invention may be secured without using the after-wash tank, or other means may be used for securing a supply of water to partially fill the bowl after the valves are closed than that shown. The supply of water to the bowl being cut off by the valve operated by the same shaft as the water-closet valve, of course only a limited and measured quantity of water can run into the bowl after the water-closet valve is closed, so that there can be no danger of an overflow. Other equivalent means than that shown may be employed to operate these two valves simultaneously.

O is a stop-cock in the pipe for the purpose of shutting the water off from the reservoir, when desired, for the purpose of making repairs.

Where several water-closets are arranged near together, as in hotels, we find it convenient to employ one large air-compression reservoir for them all, instead of separate reservoirs for each water-closet.

Other water-closet valves may, of course, be used in connection with our after-wash tank and water-reservoir; and we do not wish to confine ourselves to any particular form of valve or mechanism for operating the same.

The operation of our improved water-closet is as follows: The stop-cock O in the water-inlet pipe a being, of course, left constantly open, the water is forced into the air-compression chamber 0 under the same pressure as exists in the water-main in the street with which the supply-pipeais directlyorindirectlyconnected, thereby compressing the air in the upper part of the chamber 0. When the pipes 12 and D are opened by raising the water-closet handle, which operates the valves in said pipe, the water is forced through the pipe I) first into the after-wash tank E, and thence into the water-closet bowl, causing a sudden and ample flush of water in the same, as the compressed air in the upper part of the chamber 0, ex; panding, causes the water to flow out through the pipe I) to the full capacity of said pipe. The air in the reservoir 0 will not escape, as the outlet-pipe b is connected near the bottom of said reservoir. The vent d, near the top of the after-wash tank E, permits the water to flow freely out of the same into the bowl. The amount of air in the chamber 0 can be adjusted to the degree of hydraulic pressure in the supply-pipe a by filling it more or less with water before connecting it with the pipes.

We claim 1. The combination of a water-closet bowl, with air-compression water-reservoirO, having open communication with the water-supply, and a connecting-pipe provided with a valve, whereby, when said valve is opened, the water is suddenly forced into the bowl with the full force of the street-pressure or water-supply and that of the compressed air in said reservoir, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a water closet bowl, of an air-compression water-reservoir provided with an open inlet-pipe, whereby the water in said tank is maintained under pressure from the water main or supply and afterwash tank E, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a watercloset bowl,'of after-wash tank, reservoir 0, having constant open communication with the watersupply, and connecting-pipe b, provided with a stop-cock, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of bowl B, reservoir 0, having constant open communication with the water-supply, after-wash tank E, connectingpipe b, and drain-pipe D, said pipes being provided with valves operated simultaneously by the water-closet handle, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the water-closet bowl, water-supply pipe, and drain-pipe, said pipes being provided with plug-valves operated by a common shaft, and a water-closet handle so arranged and adapted that the valves will remain in whatever position placed, whether open or closed, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with a water-closet bowl and drain-pipe, of a plug-valve provided with the ventilating-passage connecting the drain-pipe with a ventilating-pipe when the connection between the drain-pipe and bowl is closed, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the water-closet bowl IIO with air compression water reservoir proden flush of Water, in the bowl, substantially as vided with water inlet-pipe, through which specified.

said reservoir is constantly supplied with wa- EDWIN NORTON.

ter from the pressure of the water-main or LE GRAND M. NORTON. 5 source of supply, and connecting-pipe, the lat- Witnesses:

ter being of greater capacity than the former, T. EVERETT BROWN,

for the purpose of securing a large and. sud- EDMUND ADOOCK. 

